What Daughters Are For
by mollfaceee
Summary: When Castle and Beckett have a rough break-up, Alexis steps in to save the day.


**Hello! Castle is quickly becoming my new favorite show, so now I'm venturing into the Castle community! I'm actually working on another Castle story at the moment, but today this plot popped into my head and wouldn't leave me alone. I love the idea of Alexis going to bat for her dad. He's always so protective of her, I thought it was time she protected him.**

**This story takes place a bit into the future, Castle and Beckett have been dating for a while but recently had a bad break up.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.**

* * *

Alexis slowly exhaled and raised her hand, knocking firmly on the door to her father's study.

"Dad? I've got some soup for you," she called.

No response.

She sighed and pushed open the door, peeking her head in. "Dad?"

Her father was sitting on the couch, in the same position she had left him in that morning, bloodshot eyes focused on the opposite wall, unshaven jaw clenched, and fingers closed around an empty glass, the only sign that he had moved at all. The glass used to be full of scotch.

"Dad, you need to eat something," Alexis said, setting the soup on the desk and sitting down next to him.

"I'm not hungry," his gravelly voice replied.

"Well you haven't eaten anything all day, so I don't believe you," Alexis replied firmly.

Her father simply continued his analysis of the wall.

"Dad, what happened? You've been like this for three days now," she tried again, more gently.

"I don't want to talk about it, Alexis."

"Dad, come on. You can tell me anything. I'm on your team, remember?" she pleaded, pulling on his sleeve.

He exhaled deeply. "Nothing happened. Kate decided she didn't want me anymore; that's it. She packed up her stuff and left, without saying goodbye." He stood up abruptly and walked to his desk, picking up the decanter of scotch and pouring himself another generous glass.

This was the most he had said in three days, and Alexis was startled by the harshness of his words.

"Did you two have a fight?" she asked quietly.

"Not that I was a part of. But then again, she does seem to make decisions about our relationship without me," he replied bitterly, downing half the glass.

"Have you tried talking to her?" Alexis asked, afraid of the answer.

He chuckled. "I left messages, at the precinct, at her apartment, on her cell, with Lanie." He chuckled again. It made Alexis feel sick. "She hasn't responded at all. She obviously wants nothing to do with me."

"Dad-"

He cut her off. "Look, Alexis I really appreciate you trying, but I can't talk about this. It hurts too much."

She nodded weakly. "Sure, of course. I'm sorry."

"Thanks, for the soup," he said quietly. Then he picked up the decanter and his glass and left the room.

Alexis was shocked. She had never seen her father this upset before. And she couldn't imagine Kate, the same Kate that tutored her in French and watched movies with them every Saturday night and made breakfast every Sunday morning, doing something like this. The Kate who her father worshipped and adored couldn't possibly be capable of causing this much damage.

But then Alexis remembered the devastated look on her dad's face. And suddenly, she was consumed by anger, anger at Kate for breaking her dad's heart. Without a second thought, she stood up, grabbed her purse, and headed out the door, intent on getting an explanation from one Kate Beckett.

* * *

Standing in front of Kate's door, Alexis faltered for a moment, but if her father wasn't going to defend himself, she would have to do it for him. Expelling her fear, she knocked on the door. A moment later, it opened to reveal Kate Beckett.

She was wearing sweatpants and her hair was tied up in a messy ponytail. She looked like she hadn't slept in days. "Alexis?" She was clearly surprised to see her visitor.

"Can I come in?" Alexis responded shortly.

Kate nodded, ushering her into the apartment and closing the door behind her. "Can I get you something to drink?" she asked, still confused, but seeming to recover some of her composure.

"No, thanks. I can't stay long." Alexis said, her voice cool.

Kate was surprised again by the tone of the seventeen-year-old's voice. "Okay…does your dad know that you're here?"

"No, he doesn't. He'd probably kill me if he knew, but since he won't get up and face you himself, I'm here on his behalf. Now, what the hell happened?"

If Kate was surprised before, her jaw nearly hit the ground at hearing the normally sweet-tempered red head's biting reply. "Excuse me?" she sputtered.

"You know what I'm talking about. Why did you pack up and leave? Why hasn't my father showered in three days? Why won't he eat anything? Why is he suddenly set on drinking his weight in scotch? What the _hell_ happened?" Alexis asked, her voice rising with each question.

"He's not eating?" Kate asked worriedly.

"No, apparently getting your heart stomped on results in a loss of appetite," Alexis retorted.

Kate deflated. "Look, Alexis, I know you're upset, but it's complicated," she attempted.

"Oh don't give me that excuse," Alexis scoffed. "Everything's always complicated. So what was it? You got bored of him? He was too immature, too annoying? He did something stupid? I mean, God, I know that he messes up sometimes, but you don't even have the decency to tell him you're leaving?"

Kate's jaw clenched. "I thought it would be best for both of us if we just had a clean break. I knew he would try and talk me out of it, and I had already made up my mind."

"But why? Why would you end it when everything was so going so well? You two were crazy about each other, I could tell!"

"Because I was scared!" Kate yelled.

This effectively shut Alexis up.

Kate continued, quieter this time. "I was scared that things were going so well and so fast, and I wasn't ready to go there yet. What if a few years down the road, he decides that he doesn't want me anymore?" Tears welled in her eyes. "I can't have my heart get broken again, I won't survive." She wiped the stray tear that had escaped. "So I left before anyone could get too invested."

Alexis was floored. "Kate," she said gently. "How could you think that my dad would ever not want you? He worships the ground you walk on. I've never seen him happier than he is when he's with you. He loves you."

Kate looked up. "You don't know that," she protested.

Alexis shook her head. "I know him. I practically raised him," she said, laughing. "He loves you, Kate. You should come visit him sometime. I know he'd love to see you."

Kate managed a small smile. "I don't know."

"Don't let it slip away, Kate. You two could really be something." Alexis turned toward the door. "Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to get home before my dad finishes off the rest of the liquor cabinet."

"Thanks, Alexis," Kate said weakly.

"No problem," she smiled. "It's what daughters are for."

* * *

Two days later, Alexis walked downstairs to find her father watching Battlestar Galactica reruns on the couch. She sighed. She had managed to coax him into showering and had taken all the alcohol away, but he still hadn't shaved and she doubted he had slept either. "Dad, what have you eaten today?" she asked.

"I ate a slice of toast," he muttered.

She shook her head. "You need something substantial." Walking into the kitchen, she opened the fridge to find nothing but week-old take out and half a loaf of bread. She had mostly been eating out and apparently the groceries her dad had purchased pre-break up had run out. "Alright, I'm going to the store. What do you feel like eating?"

"I don't know," he replied. "Whatever you want."

She rolled her eyes, getting frustrated with her father's apparent inability to function. "I'll just get a little of everything."

"Sure, ok."

"Dad, you have to get up sooner or later. And it's going to be sooner. If you're not off the couch by the time I get back, I'm calling in Gram. I'll be back in an hour."

* * *

Kate had been standing in front of Rick's door for fifteen minutes when she finally mustered up the courage to knock. But just as she raised her arm, the door swung open.

"Kate!" Alexis said, sounding surprised. "You're here."

"Yeah," Kate replied, not knowing what else to say.

"Well it's about time! I'm just running out for groceries. He's on the couch. You can just go on in," Alexis said while maneuvering her way around Kate and into the hallway.

"Are you sure?" Kate asked, feeling her courage leave. "I can always come back later."

"No. You are going in right now. I can't handle any more of this moping." With that, Alexis pushed Kate inside the apartment and shut the door behind her.

Once alone inside, Kate looked around. Physically, everything seemed exactly the same as she had left it. But there was something missing. The loft was quiet. No Rick running around playing laser tag or dancing to loud music. She followed the soft sound of the television into the living room where she found Rick laying on the couch.

God, she missed him, and yet seeing him made her heart break, because he really did look just as bad as Alexis had described. He was still undeniably handsome, but his features were shadowed by sadness instead of lit up by his usual enthusiasm.

"Rick." Her voice cracked and she inwardly winced because she promised herself that she wouldn't cry.

His head turned lightning fast in her direction. "Kate," he whispered.

"Alexis told me I'd find you here," she said, approaching the couch and gingerly taking a seat on the end opposite him.

He still looked like he was seeing a ghost. "What are you doing here, Kate?"

She looked down at her hands. "I wanted to apologize for the way I handled things." He didn't make any move to respond so she continued. "I should have talked to you, but I got scared. I didn't want to let myself fall in love with you, because the people I love have a history of leaving me." She looked up, her eyes pleading. "But I went home to my apartment, and I couldn't sleep at night because I've gotten so used to having you hold me. And at work I tried to bounce ideas off of Ryan and Esposito but they don't think the same way you and I do."

"We're good together," he stated, his voice uneven. She looked surprised, but encouraged by his sudden interjection.

"I realized that."

"You should have talked to me," he said.

"I should have," she responded. "But I was afraid. I was afraid because I think…I think that I already love you." She looked up, searching his face for some sort of reaction.

It took a moment, but when her words finally registered, his face broke out into the biggest smile she had ever seen.

"You love me?" he asked, his voice sounding giddy.

"Yeah, I guess I do."

As soon as the words left her lips, he was launching himself across the couch, scooping her into a kiss. She giggled and eagerly responded, wrapping her arms around his neck. When he finally broke away, his grin had magnified, and she could only assume that her own mirrored his. "Say it again."

She laughed, pushing him down onto his back. "I love you." She pressed her lips to his again, covering his body with hers.

Pulling back, she ran her hand over his stubble covered cheek and into his hair. He still had the goofy grin on his face. "I love you too, Kate Beckett." He pulled her tighter against him, nuzzling his face into her neck.

She laughed, pushing him away. "Rick! That hurts! You need a shave!"

"But it makes me look manly, right?" he asked.

"Sure, mountain man. I still want my city boy back."

"You got it, KB," he said, stroking her back.

She sighed contentedly, tucking her head into the crook of his neck.

"Hey, Kate?" he asked. She felt the rumble of his voice reverberate through his chest making her whole body tingle.

"Hmm?"

"Next time, just talk to me. I'm just as scared that I'll screw this up as you are."

She smiled. "You got it."

* * *

When Alexis opened the door to the loft, she was greeted by silence.

"Hello? Dad? Kate?"

No response. She hoped that they hadn't killed each other.

But upon entering the living room, instead of two dead bodies, she found her father lying on the couch, his arms wrapped around Kate who was lying on top of him. Both of them were asleep.

She smiled. "Finally."

* * *

**There you have it! I hope you didn't think Alexis was too harsh on Kate. It needed to be said, and I think she definitely says it out of love, not hate.**

**Anyway, let me know what you think! Thanks for reading!**


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